Away at the Lake

I just returned from a week long vacation at the cabin. This was the first time hubby and I have taken a whole entire week to spend at the cabin…and for me, this time at the CABIN can be wrapped up in 5 simple words...

Catch…and release too…many many many hours spent fishing. (Hubby’s favorite cabin activity.)

Atmosphere…it is only proper and fitting to create the right evening atmosphere to enjoy delicious cabin-y food amongst…I never forget to pack a single fragrant candle and alongside a handful of wildflowers (picked on a walk and dropped into a juice cup which improvises for a little vase), this simple combination goes a long way to create a cozy, relaxing atmosphere. Good mellow music further enhances this ambiance. A good cabin mix includes lots of Sufjan Stevens and Bon Iver.

Beauty…a study of sunsets…I’m amazed how each and every night, a different scene is painted across the sky. The sun sets just on the other side of the lake, making for great entertainment each evening.

~1st evening:

~2nd evening:

~3rd evening:


~6th evening (my favorite):

~7th evening:

Idleness…true, just going on vacation requires much preparation and work to unplug from ordinary life, but after a day or two…the stresses, worries, and daily tasks always nagging at you back home slowly seep out of mind. Laying on the dock at 3 in the afternoon and watching the puffy, white clouds drift slowly by, I felt not an ounce of guilt at this complete act of “idleness.”
I have no photos to illustrate “idleness” and truthfully we weren’t completely idle…with lots of reading (I'm still reading the enormously long, Hawaii), some antiquing on a rainy day, a walk or bike ride each day, and much fishing (did I mention all the hours of fishing?), heaps of grilling, a bit of crafting, and hubby also did a little mowing too…


Nature…among many different wildflowers (trillium, columbines, sweet violets) and birds (yellow warblers, cedar waxwings), another of nature's highlights for me was watching very protective mother ducks (2 different kinds) with baby ducklings bobbing on by near the dock.

Our last day at the cabin marked the 1-year anniversary of our move into our new home, to our new town. And as we left the cabin to head home, I still had the slightest feeling like the car should be heading the other direction, the way that would take us back to our previous home in the Cities, where our old life was, where all our friends and family still are. But we are on this new road, this new journey. And even after one year in our home, as we walked in the door we were overwhelmed by the “new-home” scent that still pervades. We don’t notice it when we leave for a day or two, but after a whole week away, walking in to that scent brought back all the memories and the excitement and craziness of our move-in day exactly one year ago. It’s odd how scents can so strongly remind us of things in the past, and in one moment bring it all rushing back. Quite appropriate then to come home on this day to our still “new” home. It really does feel good to be home!